DATABASE

Rankers Coaching Classes

DATABASE
● A database is an organized collection of related data stored in an
efficient and compact manner.
● In this definition of the database, the word "organized" means
that data is stored in way that it can easily be accessed and
updated.
● the phrase "related data" means that database contains data or
information about a particular area such as:
● Database of students that contains data of students of a
college/university etc.
Examples of Databases
NADRA
● In Pakistan, NADRA maintains a database having information of all
the citizens of Pakistan.
● The record of any citizen of Pakistan can be accessed very easily and
quickly through a computerized national identity card number (i.e.
CNIC #).
Examples of Databases

Library
● When we visit a local library, there may be a computerized
database containing details of the books in the library.
● There will be a computerized index (i.e. automated catalog). which
allows us to find a book with reference to its title, or its author's
name, etc.
Bank Account
● When we withdraw the amount from our bank account through
ATM card , we are accessing a database of customers of a
particular bank.
Database Objects
A database contains various objects that are used to store and retrieve
data.
The main database objects are as follows:
● Table
● Query
● Form
● Report
Table:
● The most important object of the database is "table".
● table is made up of column and rows .
● Each row is divided into columns called fields.
● The field may contain different data values of a particular record.
Query:
● Query means question or inquiry.
● The question like statement that is sent to DBMS: retrieve data
from one or more database tables is called Query.
● It is a powerful and flexibler of selecting, filtering, and sorting
records.
● The user can also change date in the database that fulfills certain
criteria.
● In addition query also allows a user to perform calculations on
different fields.
Form:
● The form object of the database is most commonly used for user
interface to interact with database.
● It is used to enter data in database tables.
Report:
● The Report object of the database is used to retrieve data from
the database and present in on screen in a formatted way.
Metadata
● A database holds related data as well as a description of that data.
● database is also defined as a self-describing collection of
integrated records.
● Metadata means data about data.
● For example when table of database is designed, the data type,
size, format, and other descriptions of the field are specified. This
is the metadata of the table.
● Thus metadata describes the properties of actual data in the
database.
The metadata consists of:
● field names i.e. data item names
● data type of each data item
● length or width of data items
● rules and constraints about data such as minimum and maximum
allowable values
● a brief description of each data item
TYPES OF DATABASES
The databases may be of different types. Based on the databases
architectures, they are divided into three types:
● Centralized Databases
● Distributed Database
● Object-Oriented Databases
Centralized Databases

● In a centralized database, all data (complete database) is stored and

maintained in one location.
● This location is most often a central computer or server.
● The data of the database is arranged, updated, and accessed at the
central site.
● The Centralized database systems are mostly used in colleges,
banks, hospitals, and small organizations.
Examples :
● Personal computer databases
● Client server databases
Personal computer database is normally created and maintained
by single user on his /her personal computer.
Client server database system, client/server architecture is used
in which a computer acts as a server for storing all data , while
clients accessing data.
Distributed Databases
● A distributed database is a database that consists of two or more
files located in different sites either on the same network or on
entirely different networks.
● Portions of the database are stored in multiple physical locations
and processing is distributed among multiple database nodes.
● When in a collection, distributed databases are logically
interrelated with each other, and they often represent a single
logical database.
Object-Oriented Database
● Object oriented databases are also called object oriented
database management system
● Object databases stores objects rather than data .
● Objects are used in object oriented languages such as C++ and
Java.
● The applications of object databases are as follows
● CAS Application such a CASE-computer aided software
engineering CAD computer aided design and CAM-computer
aided manufacture.
● Multimedia Applications
● Object projects that change over time
● Commerce
DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
● A database management system (DBMS) is a software package
designed to define, manipulate, retrieve and manage data in a
centralized database.
● A DBMS generally manipulates the data itself, the data format,
field names, record structure and file structure. It also defines rules
to validate and manipulate this data.
Parts of DBMS
DBMS consists of the following three parts or elements:
Physical Database:
It consists of a file or set of files that contain the data.
Database Engine:
It is the part of DBMS that makes it possible to access (store and
retrieve data)and modify the data of the database.
Database Schema:
It is the specification of the logical structure of the data stored in the
database.